Kelly Klubeck leads Zeeland West girls track & field in search of league title

Friday

May 9, 2014 at 8:00 AM

By Dan.D'Addona@hollandsentinel.com (616) 546-4276

Leaping over a hurdle. Soaring over a bar. Sprinting with a baton.Zeeland West's Kelly Klubeck can beat you in a number of ways.The Dux are hoping Klubeck's versatility helps push them to a conference title at today's OK Green championship meet at Byron Center.Hamilton has won the past five league championships, but each year, the Dux inch closer."Especially being a senior, it is my last chance to try to beat Hamilton. They are always the tough team," Klubeck said. "It is going to be close."Klubeck is one of the top pole vaulters in the conference with a personal best height of 9 feet.Not bad for someone who started vaulting two years ago to just give the team somebody in the event."My sophomore year, my coach knew I was a gymnast and a diver and usually they are good at pole-vaulting," Klubeck said. "They needed a vaulter to score points at dual meets and just reach the opening height. I tried it that summer to see if I could get better."She did, but still knows there is a long way to go to reach her goal at qualifying for the Division 2 state meet."My form isn't the greatest, but I have still been able to get over some pretty decent heights," she said. "So if I can get my form down, and bend the bar a little bit, I will reach higher heights. I really want to make state, but it will take some work."Work is no problem for Klubeck, Zeeland West coach Nate VandeGuchte said."Kelly has been great for us. She is a two-year captain — the first two-year captain we have ever had," VandeGuchte said. "She just does things the right way and kids look up to her. She is always working hard. She puts a ton of time in the offseason in vault and hurdling. That shows to the other kids. Girls are on the team because she is on the team — that says a lot."That hard work isn't just in the pole vault.Klubeck will run the 100-meter hurdles as well as the 300 hurdles and the 4x100 relay."She is a great athlete and it shows. She does three or four events every meet and it can take a toll," VandeGuchte said. "But she has never complained and is always optimistic."That is partly because Klubeck does so well in every event. She also doesn't have time to complain."I think it helps a lot. If I was just in pole vault, I would have a lot of time to stress over it. I like hurdling and everything else. It is really crazy, especially with the 100 hurdles, which is at the beginning, and the pole vault which starts and runs pretty much through all of my events," Klubeck said. "It is hard to warm up for both of them when you are doing everything, but I have adjusted to it."Klubeck plans to attend Northern Michigan University and walk on to the NCAA Division II track & field program.But first, Klubeck is focused on reaching 9 feet, 5 inches, in the pole vault — the state qualifying height — and bringing the Dux home a league title."Our confidence has grown," Klubeck said. "We know we have to work hard. Every event has to be good."And Klubeck will be in nearly half of them.